


Brother Mine

by FearTheSpork



Series: Wings and Things [3]
Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: F/M, O Brother! Why Art Thou Such A Pain In The Ass
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-01
Updated: 2016-08-01
Packaged: 2018-07-28 18:36:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,590
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7652281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FearTheSpork/pseuds/FearTheSpork
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabriel arrives at the Decker residence to be an accusing prick towards Lucifer and is very quickly set upon by two very angry Decker women. You don't insult the Devil when Trixie and Chloe are around.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brother Mine

**Author's Note:**

> Just silly fluff (and believe me, this gets to saccharine levels of sweetness) that I wanted to add to the Wings and Things series. This series is definitely not in character, so if you really want Chloe and Lucifer as themselves then my other fics hopefully fulfil that need. I also got kind of tired of all the stories I read making the other Angels dicks (not that there's anything wrong with that) but I really wanted a Gabriel who is torn between what he's heard and what he knows. Hopefully that came across.
> 
> There will be smut in this series at some point but I wanted it as more of a slow build up/relationship kind of things.
> 
> They'll still be at it like rabbits in my other stories though, so have no fear!
> 
> I didn't really think of a face claim for my Gabriel but if you have any suggestions leave them below! Maybe Josh Holloway? Although all I can picture is Sawyer from Lost and he doesn't really seem like the sentimental type.

"He's going to be terribly angry with you, little brother."

Amenadiel grumbled and glanced across the porch of the Decker residence at his companion, a scowl firmly on his face. This wasn't how he'd expected his day to go but lo' and behold, here he was. In a delicious twist of irony that he knew Mazikeen would love, he was about to deliver the Messenger of God straight to Lucifer's doorstep.

"He's going to be royally pissed off with both of us. After all, you're the one who insisted on visiting Gabriel. I tried my best to convince you to do otherwise but you're just like our brother. Stubborn."

Gabriel smiled an easy smile and considered Amenadiel's statement for a moment, sweeping a hand through his shaggy hair and humming.

"Perhaps we are too much alike but that's of no matter right now," he shrugged it off in that way that made Amenadiel clench his jaw. Lucifer may be insufferable sometimes but he had nothing on Gabriel. Especially a Gabriel with an idea in his head.

Oh and what an idea it was. He regretted opening his idiot mouth but hey- in his defence it had sounded perfectly fine at the time.

_"How's our brother? Still living in that cesspool of sin?"_

_"Actually, for your information Gabriel, he's living with a mortal woman. Very happily from what I've seen."_

He could have kicked himself when Gabriel's eyes had gone wide with something akin to panic. He loved humans. Couldn't bear to see them harmed and who was Lucifer but the torturer of souls? Naturally his mind had put two and two together and arrived at fifteen.

For all of his good nature, Gabriel had never been the brightest Angel in the Heavens, Amenadiel mused.

Hence the pair of them standing shoulder to shoulder on Chloe Decker's porch.

"Amenadiel, if this poor unsuspecting mortal is being..." Gabriel struggled for the word before spitting it out. " _Used_ by Lucifer, then I need to know! My brother is despicable in his actions but I never thought he'd go this far. Mind control and persuasion over a human..." he shook his head and a shudder ran through him.

Amenadiel rolled his eyes skyward, wishing for death before the fireworks could begin.

He remained very much alive, to his annoyance.

"How many times, Gabe? How many times do I need to say it before you'll listen to me? There is no mind control, no persuasion. Lucifer is attached to this woman and for whatever reason that we might not fathom she _likes_ him, for him. Can't we just leave them be?" he sighed, his body already tired from the flight up and down.

He just wanted to go to Mazikeen and relax.

He could just picture Gabriel's face when he found out about him cavorting with a demon. Maybe it was best to distract him with tales of Lucifer and his human Detective after all.

Gabriel was staring him down and Amenadiel swayed from foot to foot uncomfortably. Thankfully the older angel's eyes eventually shifted away to the front door once again and he relaxed.

"We're here now. Might as well pop in."

Heaving a long suffering sigh over the stubbornness that ran through his family, Amenadiel raised his hand and rapped lightly on the door- all the while hoping and praying that no-one was home.

His hopes were swiftly dashed when the door swung open to reveal Chloe, a basket of dirty laundry pressed against her hip and an annoyed look on her face.

The annoyance quickly melted away when she realised it was not in fact another Insurance Salesman but Lucifer's brother instead.

"Amenadiel! What a surprise!"

The familiarity and warmth in her eyes made Amenadiel relax. While he might not exactly understand Lucifer's infatuation with the human woman, the way she made him feel welcome in her home- even after the nasty business with Malcolm- was enough to tell him that Lucifer was on to something special with her.

Which made him feel all the more guilty for the family drama he was about to bring into her home.

"Good afternoon, Chloe," he said at last when he'd found his voice again but he shifted uneasily as her questioning eyes came to rest on his companion. He attempted to bring her attention back to him. "Is Lucifer here?"

He suddenly felt like a child under the suspicious look she gave him and he cleared his throat, unable to meet her eyes.

" _N-o_ ," she drew the word out, gaze narrowed. "He's taken Trix to the store because they wanted pancakes and I needed groceries. Two birds and all that," she explained slowly, still watching Gabriel somewhat warily from the corner of her eye.

She was still uncomfortable having strangers around her house, especially after the kidnapping.

"That's too bad," Amenadiel said a little too quickly, grabbing an unimpressed Gabriel's arm. The hopes that he could maybe get away with this were rising.

Chloe's eyebrow quirked at the odd behaviour of the usually stoic man. "Is there anything I can help you with? I mean you could come in and wait if you wanted," she was surprised at the way Amenadiel's face fell at her offer. So she quickly redacted. "Of course you could also just stand creepily on my porch until he gets back. It's up to you really."

Gabriel took this as an open opportunity to step inside.

He was clearly intent to getting to bottom of why this woman spoke of his brother so casually. There had to be something- anything, clouding her mind and her judgement as to his true nature.

Mustering all of the calming grace he could find within himself, he sent out feelings of relaxation in hopes that what he was about to show her wouldn't frighten her too much.

"I'm here to rid you of a great evil, my little one," he spoke proudly. "I am Gabriel, Angel of the Lord."

The bright golden wings that exploded from his back made her jump and her laundry scattered everywhere. "Do not be afraid," his voice was like caramel, smooth and rich as it melted around them. It was like hundreds of him were speaking as one, like the choirs of Heaven were rejoicing at the sound of his voice.

Chloe's eyes widened and she glanced at Amenadiel- who merely shook his head and gave her an apologetic look.

Gabriel really did enjoy showing off.

Amenadiel was actually quite enjoying this. He knew there was a reason that he hadn't mentioned Chloe's knowledge of them. Or the lack of effect that their kind seemed to have on her.

Even _he_ could feel the calming grace that Gabriel was sending out in waves, the gentle coaxing to not be afraid.

It was highly amusing.

Gabriel was oblivious to what was happening as he continued what Amenadiel had titled 'The Hero of the Hour' speech. First poor Mary had fallen victim to it and now Chloe.

"I come bearing news about the one living in your home and the evil intentions that he brings with him," Gabriel continued, reaching out slowly towards her like she was a frightened animal in a corner. He cupped her cheek gently, the Heavenly music building to a crescendo. "I'm here now. Everything is going to be alright..."

And then-

The choirs of Heaven cut off abruptly as Chloe scoffed and batted his hand away from her face in the same way one would swat a fly. "Get off of me and get a grip," she shooed him out of the door and back on to the porch with Amenadiel.

Gabriel stood bereft on the porch at the sudden dismissal from the little human standing in front of him. His shoulders slumped as he attempted to find some answer for what in his Father's name had just occurred.

"I- I'm," he stood, utterly dumbfounded and lost for words. _Him_. The Herald, the Messenger, the Angel who was so eloquent that he could make the Heavens weep.

And he had nothing to say.

Beside him, Amenadiel sniggered into his hand.

Chloe was eyeing him with a sour expression as she kicked the laundry basket out of the way of the door.

"You must be Gabriel," she observed drily and in his moment of dumbstruck confusion, he could only nod. She responded with an eye roll and a sharp look towards Amenadiel- clearly asking why he'd turned up on her doorstep with someone who had condemned Lucifer all those years ago.

Amenadiel just gave her a tight smile and she grumbled something under her breath.

"Right, come in then. But so help you if you track in feathers and mud. I just cleaned this floor," she warned. "And you," she pointed at Gabriel who froze. "No more of whatever the Hell that was or you get kicked out on your ass. Understand?"

He nodded again and slunk into the kitchen a lot less cocky than he had been on arrival.

She set about making tea for the three of them with practised ease. Probably something to do with Lucifer's open disdain for strong coffee.

Amenadiel was handed the novelty mug that Trixie had painted for him, with crudely drawn wings on the side and Gabriel was handed a plain mug that he strongly worried would have poison in it instead of tea, seeing as Chloe was still glaring at him from time to time.

She eventually excused herself to pick up the laundry that was still scattered over the floor and when she was done she left them alone with their thoughts as they waited for Lucifer to get back.

Seeing Gabriel's blatant confusion and frustration over the odd situation, Amenadiel took pity on him. "Look, don't fret over it, big brother," he clapped Gabriel's shoulder hard. "Chloe doesn't react to Angels the same way other humans do. It has us all quite stumped..." he trailed off as Gabriel frowned.

"But, what if it's a trick? A mind game of Lucifer's?" Gabriel worried his bottom lip between his teeth, those fierce green eyes of his meeting his younger siblings gaze.

"You know it isn't brother. She feels for him in a way we can't quite understand. It doesn't mean it isn't there. Do we question how our Father exists, even though we can't possibly fathom it?" Amenadiel said, sipping his tea casually like he hadn't just asked the unanswerable.

Gabriel felt torn. On the one hand, what if it was true? What if this little insignificant mortal was doing what they couldn't? What they'd refused to do?

On the other... he knew his brother. Perhaps not as well as he had of course, but enough to know that Lucifer was crafty. What if he was merely using her until he'd had his fill? After all the woman was quite beautiful and with a strong will like that, Lucifer would be drawn to her.

He didn't know. But here was only one way to find out and that was to ask his brother directly.

Chloe strolled back into the room soon after, glancing at Gabriel as he sat next to Amenadiel. Where Amenadiel was broad shouldered and tall like Lucifer, Gabriel was shorter by a few inches. But despite the shaggy hair and stubble, he had the whole package just like she assumed all Angels had.

Although, unlike when she looked at Lucifer, she didn't feel an iota of lust towards the good looking men in her kitchen.

Maybe she just had a thing for the tall, dark and handsome types, she mused. Or maybe she had a thing for the _Lucifer_ type.

She cleared her throat and broke the uncomfortable silence.

"So I take it you're here for a reason," she motioned towards Gabriel. "I mean, it could just be a courtesy call but once every few millennia is leaving it a bit long," she said, the passive-aggressive tone in her voice obvious.

There was something about arriving out of nowhere to meddle in his brother's life after years of ignoring him that just didn't sit right with her. At all.

The protective roar in her chest at the thought of him doing something to ruin this fragile happiness they'd found was deafening. So there she stood, in her little mortal kitchen, glaring down at yet another Archangel without a hint of fear in sight. She was getting quite good at this.

Gabriel didn't get the chance to answer her accusing question.

The front door opened with a bang and everyone held their breath.

But it was only her daughter, with Lucifer presumably still at the car collecting the groceries she'd sent him for.

Or the magic beans.

Trixie barrelled into the room at lightening speed, laden down with sweets and Chloe was momentarily distracted from her inner turmoil at the sight of her child under a mountain of candy. "Hi mommy! Guess what Lucifer got me!"

"Diabetes?" Chloe grumbled, eyeing the sweets in distaste. Trixie giggled and shook her head.

"Nope!" she popped the 'p', rolling on the balls of her feet. "There's even more in the car."

Chloe gritted her teeth in an attempt to remain calm. "Oh for the love of God. Lucifer! Did you buy the whole candy aisle?" she hollered, stalking out of the room as Trixie went about setting half of the confectionery stand from the mall on the kitchen counter. As she began her careful arrangement, Amenadiel cleared his throat.

"Hello Beatrice," he smiled and Trixie finally seemed to notice that she wasn't alone in the room. Her eyes lit up as she recognised him and she beamed, showing all of her teeth.

"Hi Uncle Diel!" Abandoning the candy pile, she instead clambered onto the only empty stool and began swinging her legs wildly. From the looks of it she was already wired and Amenadiel smiled inwardly. Lucifer had a difficult time saying no to Beatrice Decker."Look what Lucifer bought for me," she gestured to the mound of sugar on the table and he chuckled deeply.

"Ooh, only enough to keep you awake for the next three years," he observed, while Gabriel looked on in wonder at the domesticity of it all.

"Yeah," Trixie poked at a large box of Jellybeans. "He said sleeping is for old people and boring Angels."

"Of course he did," Amenadiel responded drily.

Inevitably, Trixie's gaze drifted away from Amenadiel and to the man she'd never seen before. While still somewhat wary of strangers after the Malcolm incident, she felt better knowing that Amenadiel was there if anything happened and so was content in asking,

"What's your name?"

Gabriel smiled at the child, suddenly a little more at ease than he had been. He was good with children at least, even if he'd apparently lost his touch with other aspects of humanity. That had been a surprise to say the least. But children, he could handle.

"My name is Gabriel. I'm Lucifer and Amenadiel's brother," he explained politely in his best angelic voice, bowing his head. Trixie smiled, her legs still swinging to and fro.

"I'm Beatrice, but only Lucifer and Uncle Diel call me that," she cast a distasteful look at Amenadiel, who merely smirked back at her. "Everybody else calls me Trixie."

Gabriel held out his hand and she shook it firmly. "It's wonderful to meet you, Trixie."

The peaceful moment was shattered by the roar of anger from outside, a sound that practically rattled the walls with it's force. "He's bloody _what_!?"

The two men immediately tensed but Trixie seemed unfazed, simply going back to rooting around for something she wanted in her candy pile. Amenadiel was well aware of the coming storm that was probably stalking it's way up the driveway and Gabriel exchanged glances with him.

He then turned his attention to Trixie, feeling a little panicked. All of the reasons that this was a terrible idea had suddenly hit him, none so more than the fact that Lucifer was a powerful, mighty Archangel that was matched only by Michael and his fits of rage could be legendary.

"The child will be in danger if she remains here," Gabriel swallowed hard. "Take her somewhere out of harms way brother," he hopped off of the stool, readying himself for a fight.

But to his bewilderment, Amenadiel merely cocked his head in amusement. "Somehow, I doubt that will be necessary."

There was no time to argue with him though because a fist connected so hard with the side of his face that it sent him sprawling across the kitchen floor like a rag doll. Gabriel groaned, having not been sucker punched in centuries by anything stronger than a human.

Compared to that, Lucifer's fist was like being hit with a semi.

"What the bloody Hell do you think you're doing in our house?"

_Our house?_

Gabriel barely had time to respond before he was being yanked roughly to his feet and driven hard towards the wall, his brothers fist curled into the front of his shirt. Lucifer's eyes blazed red with anger, Hell fire flickering in them and Gabriel felt fear creep along his spine.

He felt a shudder ripple through his wings as they burst forth once more from his back- but even they couldn't stop Lucifer's forward momentum and Gabriel was slammed into the wall so hard that he was surprised they didn't go through it.

"Lucifer," Chloe's voice broke through the sounds of laboured breathing and the fist that had been about to strike him again suddenly stopped mid-punch.

Gabriel cracked an eye open to see what had saved his hide from a good beating.

Colour him surprised to see that it was because Lucifer was now too busy looking at the gentle hand on his arm. The same hand that was currently the only thing stopping him from turning his brother into a paste on the wall. When a moment passed, Gabriel chanced a sentence.

"Well, this is tense," he smiled awkwardly.

Lucifer's resulting glare of hatred shut him up.

Chloe sent him a look that said she'd be happy to let Lucifer beat the living hell out of him if he opened his mouth again but she took a deep breath herself before speaking.

"Let's just all chill out okay?" she soothed in her best police officer voice, her fingers squeezing his arm gently and then just like that- like a light coming on in the dark- the beast was gone from Lucifer's gaze and was replaced with something Gabriel couldn't quite name.

Something he'd never thought he'd see in this fallen brother of his.

Lucifer's grip loosened until his hand fell away and Gabriel was able to breathe a sigh of relief, tucking his wings away again and brushing himself off. No matter the original intention of his visit, it hadn't been to start a fight.

The room was silent for a moment before Lucifer took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"What are you doing here Gabriel? I mean, it's only been a few million years, I suppose. Did you feel like now was a good time to check in on me? Make sure I wasn't feeling abandoned by my family?" he sneered, crossing his arms with every intention of not listening to a word Gabriel said.

The shorter man looked down guiltily, unable to answer.

Lucifer snorted at the silence, turning away from the other man at last to pick Trixie up from where she'd been sitting quietly on the stool, watching the events unfold with wide eyes.

The child wrapped herself around him the second he lifted her. He walked further away from his brother, to the other side of the room with Trixie on his hip and Chloe knew that he'd picked her up as a way to calm himself down.

Amenadiel knew this as well.

They did seem to have that effect on him, the Decker women. Like a soothing balm to the soul, they calmed Lucifer's raging beast until it purred instead.

Trixie, in her innocence was oblivious as to why Lucifer had lost his temper. So she did what her mother did when she was sick, or angry. She gently stroked Lucifer's hair and he patiently accepted her affection, the rage subsiding gradually until it was nothing but a howling wind in his chest.

Gabriel tried not to stare, he really did. He didn't know whether to be unnerved at the sight of a child comforting the Devil or treat it as the eighth wonder of the world. Instead he attempted to answer Lucifer's question.

"I heard through the grapevine that you were living with a mortal woman. You can probably guess why I didn't immediately throw you a parade. I had to come and see it for myself," he explained, his voice soft. "I was... concerned."

But not for Lucifer. Those were the words Gabriel left unsaid.

"Concerned?" Lucifer scoffed in disbelief, before finally casting a hard gaze over Amenadiel. "I suppose you had something to do with this brother mine?" Amenadiel shifted uncomfortably under the intense heat of Lucifer's gaze. "Is my happiness such an affront to you that you have to bring in outside help to destroy it?" he barked.

Amenadiel jumped up, trying his best to remain apologetic. He was just beginning to rebuild his relationship. This wasn't the way he'd wanted things to go.

"It wasn't my intention to have him come visit you Luci, I swear. He asked how you were doing here on earth and I thought I'd share the good news. Show him that you were changing."

Lucifer's tone was sharp. " _He's_ the bloody Herald of the family, Amenadiel. Not you."

For once the dark skinned angel looked sheepish. "Look, it's not my fault if he took it the wrong way," Amenadiel jabbed a finger in Gabriel's direction. "I was just trying to make things right for you."

Lucifer cocked his head to the side, eyes narrowed at the two of them. Chloe noted the look of guilt that washed over Gabriel's face.

"How did you take it the wrong way? Me living with a mortal woman?" he spoke lowly, anger threatening to bite with every word and the only thing keeping it on it's leash was the little girl in his arms.

Gabriel avoided his gaze. "Does it matter? I was clearly mistaken-"

"How!" Lucifer barked and everyone jumped in surprise.

Realising that he wasn't about to leave anytime soon, or at least without admitting his reason for the impromptu visit, Gabriel heaved a long sigh. The sigh of someone who knew that they'd royally fucked up. "Earlier, when I said I was concerned... My concern was not for you Lucifer. It was for her," Gabriel gestured towards Chloe, for whom his visit had clicked into place several seconds ago.

She was looking suitably pissed off and the way her fingers were twitching echoed how she would usually be reaching for her gun right about now.

Lucifer was staring at him and Gabriel felt three feet tall under the heavy stares in the room. So when guilt and bad feelings overwhelmed you, the best thing to do was go on the defensive.

Well, the word _best_ was a blatant lie.

"Look, what was I supposed to think brother? I feared that you were controlling her! Perhaps forcing yourself upon her!" Chloe balked at the mere suggestion but didn't get a chance to defend Lucifer because Gabriel was still talking. "What? Was I just supposed to accept that for whatever out of the blue reason, a mortal, a creature that you loathe beyond all others, had suddenly taken you in with open arms? his rage was building with each word, backed into a corner as he was.

"No-one in all of living history has ever, or will ever, love the Devil!" he spat in a fit of anger before he could stop himself.

The room went silent.

The sheer look of pain and hurt that flashed in Lucifer's eyes almost made Gabriel's knees buckle. His ears were ringing and he only vaguely heard the words come out of his mouth as regret flooded through him from the tips of his hidden wings to the soles of his feet.

Amenadiel looked distraught as his fragile hope for building bridges was shattered with Gabriel's words.

Apart from the little gasp from Trixie in his arms, Lucifer couldn't hear anything but those words on repeat, circling around his head as they poked and prodded at all the fears and the doubts that had ever crossed his mind. It only seemed to back up what he'd always known.

No-one loved the Devil.

He couldn't hear anything else.

Until, her voice shaking with barely controlled rage, Chloe spoke up and said-

"Trix babe, I want you to go to your room for a second." Even as she spoke, Chloe didn't take her eyes off of Gabriel, whose head was in his hands.

Trixie immediately did as she was told, not enjoying the tension in the room at all. It reminded her too much of her mom and dad fighting. So she scrambled down from Lucifer's tight grasp and made sure to squeeze his hand hard before he could let her go completely.

But, making up her mind before she could leave, she turned and shot an angry glare at the strange man who had invaded her home for the day.

She stomped over to him and waited until he looked at her.

"For your information," she huffed and crossed her arms, sounding so very grown up that it made Chloe's heart soar. " _I_ love Lucifer very much. He's my best friend and if you don't like him then just go back where you came from and leave us alone!" she fumed, her little face the picture of anger as she turned on her heel and stalked away to her room.

She made sure to slam the door behind her for good measure.

Everyone stared after her, staring at the closed door like they wished something else would happen. Anything to distract them from the oncoming uncomfortable conversation. Everyone except Chloe, who still stared at Gabriel like she was waiting for him to look at her.

The Angel in question was busy at the moment, looking as though he'd been slapped for the second time since he'd arrived.

So she got his attention instead.

"You coward."

All eyes in the room turned to her, even the incredibly ashamed looking Gabriel- although where he mustered the inner strength to meet her eye she would never know.

"How _dare_ you," Chloe hissed when she was sure she had his rapt attention. Gabriel swallowed visibly as she advanced towards him, her face the picture of anger but her tone even. He backed away right up until his shoulders hit the door with a thump and he could go no further.

He opened his mouth to apologise but no words would come out. So he merely closed it again and prepared himself for the onslaught that was coming.

"You actually have the nerve to come into _our_ home and act like some high and mighty Angel?" she laughed but there was no trace of humour there at all and it only served to make him even more nervous. If Gabriel had felt small before, he now wanted to sink into the ground and never be seen again.

"You think you can haul your feathered ass down here after all this time and accuse a man of you don't even know anymore? You waltz back down here after ignoring him, shunning him from where he belongs for a millennia and think you can still call him brother? You," she jabbed a finger into his chest roughly and Gabriel pressed even further against the door. "Are an arrogant prick, Angel of the Lord or not," she raged.

She could feel tears pricking the back of her eyes and damn it- she _hated_ that she cried when she was angry.

Hated it with a passion.

But right now she didn't give a crap if she sobbed her way through this because what was said was out of line and it had ignited some sort of primal desire to punch someone in the face that was becoming harder and harder to ignore.

The very accusation and the sheer hurt on Lucifer's face had ruined her. Had made her heart ache and in that instant she knew she would do anything to fix that. So he'd never feel that way again.

He was hers.

As selfish as that sounded and as much as they danced around each other, it was inevitable. She loved him, with every fibre of her being. And he didn't deserve what had been said.

She caught her breath and she was no-where near finished.

"He isn't some- some _monster_ to be cast aside and accused of every little thing you assholes can dream up," she gestured to the Heavens. "He's _good_ and he's kind and he's so much better than any of you! Lucifer Morningstar is worth a million of any Angel in Heaven, so-" she advanced even further and Gabriel was sure that this little human was about to kill him on the spot. "You can take your shitty opinion and shove it where the sun doesn't shine, do you hear me?"

Amenadiel and Lucifer watched on in awe at the spectacle in front of them and the sheer force of will that Chloe seemed to radiate. From the crack in her bedroom door, Trixie grinned triumphantly as the Lucifer's mean brother was swiftly put in his place.

"My daughter loves him. He's a wonderful father figure to her," she said, softer than before, like she was building up to something difficult to say. "And you know what? After all this time and this stupid game we play, I think I can admit it. _I_ love him too. So much," she breathed, not turning around to see if he'd heard her.

"He doesn't need you or your approval, do you understand?"

Gabriel who by now was visibly shrinking back from the maw of the anger that radiated from her, nodded shakily. Chloe was breathing heavily, trying to scramble her feelings back together and the room was silent once again in the aftermath of the explosion.

After a long moment, Lucifer stepped forward as he regained his senses.

 _She_ loved him.

She _loved_ him.

She loved _him._

Chloe's shoulders were shaking as she silently cried and stared Gabriel down, but Lucifer ignored his shell-shocked brother and instead tugged her away and into his arms. Her eyes were red rimmed and tears welled to spill over her pink cheeks but she still looked gorgeous to him.

He lifted his hand to brush her hair from her face, thumb rubbing over her cheekbone to catch a stray tear. He was in awe of her. Felt like he should fall to his knees and worship her- a feeling which stirred up so much emotion that it made him choke.

"What a fucking divine creature you are," he managed to say, before she'd buried herself against his chest in an attempt to calm herself down.

Gabriel finally found his voice, shame dripping from every word.

"I can only offer what few useless apologies I can, for the offence I've caused," he stuttered out, sounding very much as if he was holding back tears himself. "Brother, what a beautiful family you have made for yourself. I'm so very sorry I didn't congratulate you earlier," his voice was but a whisper as he met Lucifer's eyes over Chloe's head.

The regret over what was said was palpable and over the stagnant anger in his belly, Lucifer felt the sickening tide of forgiveness rising over it.

"Thank you Gabriel," he breathed shakily, clutching Chloe harder to his chest.

But the younger of the two wasn't finished yet, the need to right his wrong clawing at him with so much force he might have staggered if he wasn't still against the wall.

"What I said, I said in anger and it held no weight behind it. No matter what I might say or do, I still love you. I have loved you for every single second that I was too much of a _coward_ to visit," his words caught in his throat and he turned his head away, unable to meet the eye of the one he'd wronged so much.

"For every single moment that I pretended- lied to myself- that you were fine, that you didn't want to see me. From the instant you greeted me in creation to the day you spared my life in the final battle... I have loved you brother," the whisper that hung in the air was poignant and it deserved to be the last thing said for a while.

Sensing what was coming, Chloe gently extracted herself from Lucifer's arms, as Gabriel took a step closer to him. Her anger was gone, replaced by some subtle iota of hope that burned brighter than it had any right to.

Amenadiel must have felt it heavy in the air too, because his own breathing was uneven and his eyes were wet- which he would never admit to in a million years.

Chloe squeezed Lucifer's hand gently before she let him go, telling him that she would be fine for a moment on her own. Her emotions were in check once again and it was high time Lucifer got something he deserved.

Within seconds of her stepping to one side, the smaller Angel had thrown his arms around Lucifer like it was the last time they would ever meet.

The breath was knocked from his lungs and his whole body burned in such a strange way that Lucifer could do nothing- nothing other than return the worlds most overdue hug. Gabriel smelled like he always had, of rain and thunderstorms and heavy clouds that sank low in the sky and Lucifer inhaled deeply as memories washed over him.

It was almost like he was back in the host and in spite of himself and the embarrassment that he would no doubt feel later, he squeezed Gabriel tighter.

It seemed like a long few moments before either Angel was ready to part but they eventually mustered the strength to let go of each other.

"I'll take my leave now Lucifer," Gabriel said softly, a hand on his brother's cheek. Lucifer could only nod, no-where near ready for words yet and it seemed that Gabriel understood this. "I will come back though, make no mistake," he managed a short laugh that brightened his eyes again as he glanced at Chloe. "That is, if I'm still welcome after that tongue lashing, Miss Decker?"

"I'd have a few things to say if you _didn't_ come back," she answered passively, still not altogether ready to forgive him for what had been said. Even if it had been said in anger.

But she would get there eventually.

For Lucifer.

Gabriel cleared his throat and took a step backwards. "Keep them well, _Sam_."

"I will. _Gabe_."

With a smile and rush of air and feathers, Gabriel was gone from the room as quickly as he'd arrived. That was something she would never get used to, Chloe mused. Right now, she felt a mix of emotions that culminated somewhere between relief and happiness.

Happiness that Lucifer was slowly gaining his family back and relief that her house was still standing.

There was also the elephant in the room to be addressed. She'd practically announced it to the world by telling the Messenger of God, but what the world thought didn't matter.

It's what Lucifer thought.

After a minute of silence in which he managed to gather his erratic thoughts, Lucifer turned to Chloe at long last. There was only one thing running through his mind now, other than the surprise reunion that had just occurred.

Those three little words that had completely blown him away in a matter of seconds that very much needed addressed.

Everything that had happened today could gladly overwhelm him later as he tried to sleep. His thoughts could keep him awake for the rest of his days for all he cared and they probably would if she wasn't by his side.

Right now he was looking at her the same way he had that first night.

Like she was everything. It stole the breath out of her lungs. Made her dizzy. Made her fall in love even harder and Lucifer might think he held the record for the grandest fall in history but _fuck_ \- he had no idea.

When she looked at him her chest felt like bursting. She felt like everything could go wrong but it would be fine. The house could burn down around her. The world could end. But if he was there then she would get through it.

They'd been so relentlessly stupid about this whole thing, was the shared thought in the room.

Kissing her seemed like the right way to go about things. The next logical step to take in the quiet room and so he did, moving forward and dipping his head towards hers before she had the chance to say another word.

His fingers threaded through her long hair and his free hand found her waist, keeping her as close to him as he reasonably could.

Her eyes fluttered shut and his stubble scraped her top lip but it was such a delicious feeling that she couldn't stop the moan escaping her.

Her lips were so unbelievably soft against his and to her credit, she quickly recovered from the shock of the sudden kiss to respond to him. It was like breathing him in. When her lips parted in a soft gasp, his tongue flicked against hers and coaxed her to deepen the kiss even more.

At some point, she finally remembered that she had hands and moved them, spearing the hair at the nape of his neck with her fingers and bringing the other up to cup his cheek. She wasn't letting him go if she could help it.

Not now, or ever again.

Amenadiel cleared his throat next to the oblivious couple. He got no response from either of them and he sighed heavily to himself with a shake of his head. Giving up, he stepped around them to access the door. It was probably better to leave them in peace to work this out for themselves if he was honest.

Stepping outside into the warm air of the evening, Amenadiel smiled. Perhaps he should spread the word to more of his brothers and sisters, if Gabriel hadn't already. It could well speed the process along.

If their Father saw that Lucifer had changed so much because of a mortal...

Perhaps they would never need to leave each other's side again.

It was time to have a discussion with God, he decided. He took one last affectionate glance through the window at the couple inside, still wrapped firmly in each others embrace before he took to the sky in a rush of adrenaline.

Hope was such a dangerous thing, yes. But it was also a force to be reckoned with.

Because if there was hope for the Devil himself, then there was hope for him. For him and his demon.

With a warmth in his chest that he hadn't felt for years, Amenadiel flew towards the Heavens above. 

**Author's Note:**

> More soon, you absolutely gorgeous people!


End file.
